


^S^AlfredSKinsey 























A SHORT COURSE IN 


OXY- 

ACETYLENE 

WELDING 



By ALFRED S. KINSEY 

Professor of Shop Practice 

STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers 
Member, Society for the Promotion 
of Engineering Education 


Copyrighted, 1918, AIR REDUCTION SALES CO., N. Y. 


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FOREWORD 

O UR college friends are offered, on 
the following pages, a suggestive 
course on a subject which has 
made possible one of the most import¬ 
ant advances in modern shop practice. 
The contribution has been prompted 
by numerous requests from college 
instructors, who have shown so lively 
an interest in the practical as well as 
the technical side of the subject that it 
was decided to have the course prepared 
by an independent authority who was 
familiar with both the educational and 
engineering advantages of the process. 
The material has, therefore, been 
arranged by Alfred S. Kinsey, Professor 
of Shop Practice and head of the 
Department of Shop Practice, Stevens 
Institute of Technology, Castle Point, 
Hoboken, N. J., and organizer and 
director of a special war course in Oxy- 
Acetylene Welding and Cutting at the 
23 d Street Y. M. C. A., New York. 


AIR REDUCTION SALES CO. 

120 Broadway, New York 




















A Short Course 

for Colleges and Technical Schools in 
Oxy-Acetylene Welding 
and Cutting 

It is recognized that the Shop Courses of most engineer¬ 
ing colleges and technical schools are already so crowded 
with subjects and demands on students’ time that to sug¬ 
gest the introduction of additional work, even though it 
be ever so important, is likely to meet with criticism. It 
is possible, however, that in the average shop course 
something of lesser importance might give way to provide 
at least a little time for so active and vital a subject as the 
Modern Methods of Welding Metals. In engineering, 
manufacturing and repair work this subject occupies a 
place of the greatest importance. With these thoughts in 
mind, therefore, the following course is suggested. It is 
understood, of course, that the time allowed is too short 
to produce finished welders, which is likewise true of any 
other subject taught in College Shops. It has, never¬ 
theless, been surprising and most encouraging to see what 
could be accomplished by such a schedule. 

As many shop departments do their work in sessions of 
three hours, it is intended that this course will fit in with 
such a roster by using a total of twelve three-hour periods. 
Of this time about one-third should be devoted to lec¬ 
tures and the balance to the operation of the torches. A 
lecture, not more than one hour long, should precede 
each welding period. 

The work must be done on fire-proof benches, which 
may easily be made with tops of heavy sheet-iron, set 
rigid and level. 

Ordinary fire bricks will be needed to support the jobs. 
Four for each torch should be enough. 


[ 3 ] 


A small metal receptacle for flux, and a quart-size tin 
pail to hold water for cooling the torch tip will be of good 
service. 

If a grinding wheel is available for beveling the sides of 
the joints it will save time over chipping and filing. 

The student should be made to wear welder’s goggles 
and a full-length leather apron. 

Of course, the most important parts of the equipment 
are the torches, one for welding and one for cutting. Use 
a design of welding torch that does not operate so sen¬ 
sitively as to cause delay and oxidizing of the weld by 
frequent flash-backs. One also that enables its tips to be 
easily changed and tightly seated. Use a cutting torch 
that makes it possible to get a quick application of the 
high pressure oxygen without jerking the tip from the hot 
surface. 

A cylinder of oxygen and a tank of acetylene, each 
holding at least 100 cubic feet, will be required for each 
welding torch. 

If necessary, in order to keep down expense, a class 
might work in teams of two men. Then, while one student 
is operating the torch his partner could be beveling his 
job for the next weld. It is just as well that a beginner is 
not required to use the torch continuously over too long a 
period. 

The sizes of the pieces of metal used in the course have 
been determined with due consideration of cost and the 
time available for the student to complete the job. It is 
probable, however, that in many cases there will be suffi¬ 
cient scrap material found in the machine shop and forge 
and foundry of a college to supply most of what is needed 
in this welding course and in that event, if time allows, 
bigger and more typical jobs may be undertaken. 

A. S. K. 


[ 4 ] 


THE COURSE 


First Period 


OBJECT. To prepare the student for the first use of 
the welding equipment. 

LECTURE. “The Principles of Operation of the Oxy- 
Acetylene Torch.” Explain: (a) The use in modern shop 
practice of the four kinds of welding, i.e., hammer welding, 
electric welding, thermit welding and oxy-acetylene weld¬ 
ing. ( b ) The broad field of usefulness of the oxy-acetylene 
torch in welding, cutting, building-up, filling-in, localized 
heating, local and case-hardening, lead burning, carbon 
burning, babbitting, soldering, etc. (c) The principles of 
combustion, so that the use of oxygen and acetylene tanks 
will be understood, (d) Why acetylene is the best gas for 
the work. ( e ) Why the oxygen and acetylene are com¬ 
pressed to such high pressures. (/) The kind of flame desir¬ 
able (see colored plate opposite page). (g) The design and 

use of the regulator (see page No. 30). Qi) The designs of 
the torches (see pages Nos. 31,32,33). (i) The need of 

different sizes of tips. 

WORK, (a) Show students how to connect up regu¬ 
lators and torches. ( b ) How to adjust the pressures of the 
gases, (c) How to change the tips, (d) How to regulate 
the torch valves so as to get the proper flame. This first 
period will go slowly and leave practically no time for 
actual welding. 


[ 6 ] 

















NOTES 


Second Period 

OBJECT. Welding thin sheet steel. 

LECTURE. “The Welding of Thin Steel.” Explain: 

(a) The nature of a piece of steel. ( b ) Action of heat on its 
grains, (c) Expansion and contraction, (d) Oxidation. 
(e) : The value of Preheating and Reheating. (/) Diver¬ 
gence allowances, (g) Shapes of welds for thin steel. 

WORK, (a) Weld two pieces of thin steel along the 
long edges. (6) Test weld by breaking with hammer in 
vise. ( c ) Weld same pieces again, placing them at right- 
angles and in such other positions as will show welding 
possibilities. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED. Two pieces of 
x4" common steel. 


[ 8 ] 


NOTES 


Third Period 

OBJECT. Welding thick steel plate. 

LECTURE. “The Welding of Heavy Steel Parts.” 
Explain: (a) Shapes of joints for welds of heavy steel. 
( b ) Need and use of welding rod. (c) Importance of com¬ 
position and strength of welding rod. 

WORK, (a) Bevel and weld two pieces of thick steel 
plate end to end. (6) First use of welding rod. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Two pieces of y%'x 
1K"x 4" common steel. ( b ) steel welding rod. Do 

not use common steel rod. It will be rusty. Only 
regular welding-rod should be used in the whole course. 


[10] 


NOTES 


Fourth Period 

OBJECT. To complete welding of thin and thick steel 
plate. 

LECTURE. “The Welding Gases.” Explain: (a) 
The manufacture of Acetylene. ( b ) Its characteristics, 
(c) Method of safe charging of gas into tanks. ( d ) Rules 
for use of acetylene, (e) Manufacture of oxygen. (/) 
The proper mixtures of the two gases to produce the best 
flame at torch, (g) The use of the oxy-hydrogen, the 
oxy-blau gas, and the oxy-pintsch gas mixtures. 

WORK. This time will be needed to complete the 
work of the Second and Third Periods, and for additional 
practice on the same metals. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED. No additional materials 
will be needed. 


[ 12 ] 


NOTES 


Fifth Period 

OBJECT. The Welding of Cast-Iron. 

LECTURE. “The Composition and Characteristics 
of Cast-Iron.Explain: (a) The Ferrous group of metals, 
giving samples of their chemical composition and physical 
strength. ( b ) The grading and chemical composition of 
cast-iron, (c) The influence of the chemical elements on 
cast-iron. ( d ) Effects of fast cooling, (e) Composition 
of cast-iron welding rod. (/) The use of a flux, and the 
principle of its operation. 

WORK, (a) Bevel and weld two pieces of cast-iron end 
to end. ( b ) First use of flux. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Two pieces of cast- 
iron %"x%"x3". ( b ) 34 r/ cast-iron welding rod. ( c) Flux 
for cast-iron. 


[ 14 ] 


NOTES 


Sixth Period 

OBJECT. The welding of castings of Malleable Iron, 
Galvanized Iron and Steel. 

LECTURE. “The Composition and Characteristics 
of Castings made of Malleable Iron, Galvanized Iron and 
Steel.” Explain: (a) The manufacture and chemical 
composition of malleable iron castings, galvanized iron 
castings and steel castings. ( b ) The need of different 
kinds of welding rods, (c) The composition of tobin 
bronze welding rod. (d) The difference between welding 
and brazing, (e) The restoration of protected metal sur¬ 
faces. 

WORK, (a) Bevel the ends of two pieces of malleable 
iron and weld them. Show the weakness of the weld, and 
then braze two pieces of malleable iron. ( b ) Weld a 
cracked galvanized iron pipe-fitting. (c) Weld a steel 
casting, (d) Protect uncovered galvanized surface. 

MATERIALS REQLTRED. (a) A small malleable 
iron casting which may be broken. (6) A galvanized iron 
elbow or tee. (c) A small steel casting, (d) tobin 
bronze, cast-iron and steel welding rods, (e) A brazing 
flux, and cast-iron welding flux. 


[ 16 ] 


NOTES 


Seventh Period 

OBJECT. The Filling-in and Building-up of iron 
castings and steel jobs. 

LECTURE. “Use of the Oxy-Acetylene Torch in 
Foundries and Locomotive Shops.” Explain: (a) The 
filling-in method of curing blow-hole troubles in castings. 
(6) The filling-in of mis-drilled holes, (c) The building- 
up of new gear teeth and worn machine parts, id) Making 
bosses. 

WORK, (a) Drill a or hole through a piece of 
cast-iron and fill it with cast-iron filler rod. ( b ) Build up a 
boss on a piece of cast-iron or steel. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED. (a) Use the cast-iron 
pieces of the Fifth Period. If old castings of machine 
parts are available they would serve better. ( b) Use cast- 
iron pieces of the Fifth Period or steel pieces of the Third 
Period. If old cast-iron gear wheels are available break 
out a tooth and build up a new one. (c) Cast-iron and 
steel filler rod. (d) Cast-iron flux. 


[ 18 ] 


NOTES 


Eighth Period 

OBJECT. Making welds for structural steel, pipe and 
tanks. 

LECTURE. “Welding Structural Steel, Pipe and 
Tanks.” Explain: (a) Shapes of joints for angle iron, 
channel iron, I beams. ( b ) Shapes of joints for pipe for 
end, branch and seam welds, (c) Shapes of joints for 
flanging and plugging tubes, id) Shapes of joints for low 
and high pressure tanks. 

WORK, (a) Make an end weld and then a mitre weld 
of angle iron. ( b ) Make an end weld and then a branch 
weld of pipe. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Two pieces of y 8 "x 
l"x4" angle iron. ( b ) Two pieces of 4" standard 

wrought-iron pipe, (c) Steel welding rod. 


[ 20 ] 








Ninth Period 

OBJECT. Making welds of copper and brass. 

LECTURE. “Welding Non-Ferrous Metals.” Explain: 

(а) The common metals of the non-ferrous group, giving 
their chemical composition and physical characteristics. 

(б) Nature of copper, brass, and bronze when heated for 
welding, (c) Precautions necessary in welding metals 
containing tin and zinc. 

WORK, (a) Make a long weld of two pieces of sheet 
copper. ( b ) Make a long weld of sheet brass, (c) Make a 
long weld of two pieces of galvanized sheet iron. ( d) 
Make a long weld of two pieces of tin plate. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Two pieces of cold 
rolled copper, l}^"x 4". ( b ) Two pieces of cold rolled 
brass, J^x lj^ // x4". (c) Two pieces of galvanized iron 
plate, H"xljtf'x4". (d) Two pieces of ordinary sheet tin, 
l^"x4". (e) y%" copper, }/$" brass and Y /% r steel weld¬ 

ing wire. (/) Flux for brass. 


[ 22 ] 


NOTES 


Tenth Period 

OBJECT. Making welds of Aluminum. 

LECTURE. “Welding Aluminum.” Explain: (a) 
Welding of aluminum castings. ( b ) Necessity of pre¬ 
heating. (c) Trouble with oxides, (d) Welding by flux 
versus by puddling. ( e ) Welding sheet aluminum. 

WORK, (a) Make a weld of two pieces of sheet 
aluminum. ( b ) Weld the crack of a broken aluminum 
casting. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Two pieces ^"xl^" 
x4" aluminum. (6) Any old castings of aluminum. 
( c ) aluminum welding rod. ( d) Aluminum flux. 


[ 24 ] 


NOTES 


Eleventh Period 

OBJECT. Cutting wrought-iron and steel. 

LECTURE. “Oxy-Acetylene Cutting of Metals.” 
Explain: (a) Design of cutting torch. (6) The principle 
of oxidation, (c) Why only wrought-iron and steel can be 
cut. ( d ) Importance of speed of advance of flame, pres¬ 
sure and volume of oxygen, and size of preheating flame, 
(i e ) Circular cutting. (/) Use of hydrogen for deep cutting. 
(g) Lead burning, (h) Carbon burning, (i) Soldering, 
(j) Babbitting, (fc) Localized heating. (1) Local and case- 
hardening. 

WORK, (a) Cut end off piece steel or wrought-iron bar. 
( b ) Cut circle in steel plate, (c) Make straight cut using 
carriage, (d) Make a joint with some old sheet lead, (e) 
Deposit some carbon by the acetylene flame in an old iron 
cylinder, and burn it out with oxygen. (/) Melt a pot of 
solder, (g) Melt the babbitt from an old bearing, and 
preheat the bearing, (h) Heat up a steel part of some 
machine which would be impossible to get into a forge 
fire, (i) Heat up a piece of tool steel and immerse for 
hardening, and use the acetylene flame to carbonize a 
piece of machinery steel for case hardening. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) Bar of steel, say 
%"x%"x 4 ft. Each cut takes about 1" off length. ( b ) 
Piece of steel plate about 3^ // xl2"xl2 // . (c) Small pieces 

of sheet lead, (d) An old iron cylinder, (e) A pot of old 
lead or solder. (/) An old machinery bearing lined with 
babbitt, (g) An old machine with steel parts, (h) A piece 
of soft tool steel, (i) A piece of low carbon steel. 


[26] 


NOTES 


Twelfth Period 

OBJECT. To show the student the different conditions 
in which steel may be found in welding practice. 

LECTURE. “The Heat Treatment of Steel.” Explain: 
(a) The difference in chemical composition and physical 
characteristics of low carbon, high carbon and high speed 
steels. ( b ) The principles of hardening, tempering, anneal¬ 
ing and case hardening. 

WORK, (a) Show failure of machinery steel to harden 
by immersion. (6) Show result of immersion of red-hot 
cast-iron, (c) Harden and temper a cold chisel, (d) 
Anneal an old file, (e) Case harden and surface harden 
a piece of machinery steel with raw bone and ferro cyanide 
of potassium. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED, (a) A piece of machinery 
steel. ( b ) An old iron casting, (c) A cold chisel annealed. 
( d ) An old file hardened, (e) A piece of machinery steel. 
(/) A few ounces of ferro cyanide of potassium and an 
iron box of raw bone to be found in most forge shops. 


[28] 


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